Stabilizing device for aeroplanes.



D. s DICKENS. STABILIZING DEVICE FOR ABROPLANES 1 APPLIUATIdN FILED JAN. 18, 1913. M 1,097,584.; Papenged May 19, 1914.

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DANIEL STEPHEN DICKENS, OF MONSEY, NEw YoRK.

S TAIBILIZING DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ill, fillet.

Application filed. January 18, 1913. Serial .No. 742,306.

To all whom it mag} concern Be it known that I, DANIEL S. DICKENS, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Monsey, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stabilizing Devices for Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes, and more particularly to automatic stabilizing means therefor, and has for its object to provide such a mechanism of extremely sinile construction efficient in operation and able in a minimum degree to get out of order.

It is an object to utilize a pendulum to control an aero craft, without the necessity of numerous links, levers, or other connections, producing friction between the pendulum and the stabilizing elements which it is to operate.

It is an important object to minimize the Weight required in such construction.

Another important object is to provide a stabilizing element which Will also act an efiicient lifting element at all times, Where by the device does not constitute only dead weight v ien the aeroplane is properly poised.

A further object is to provide a device which, when the aeroplane is banked too much on a turn, will operate to prevent lateral movement or side slip inwardly of the turn.

Another object is to provide a stabilizing element for longitudinal equilibrium which may be incorporated, self-contained, on the tail or rudder for vertical guidance.

It is a further important object to pre sent a form of stabilizer which may be used on any aeroplane of usual construction Without detrimental modification of construct -n.

Ulher objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a topplan view of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. '2 is a front elevation thereof,

Fig. 3, is a side elevation thereof, Fig. 4 is a detail of the mounting of the Wing tips, Fig. 5 is a similar view of the tail flaps.

It will be apparent that my invention is applicable'to either monoplanes or biplanes, but as the present .nstence of its embodiment there is illustrated a monoplane com prising the forward lifting plane 10 of any suitable construction, carried by a framework 11 of ordinary form rearwardly from which projectsthe fuselage 12 carrying the horizontal rudder 13 in any customary man ner and construction. The craft equipped with a motor let for driving the propeller 15 located forwardly of the plane 10 and any other customary equipment may be incorporated desired. This may include the. usual. numually controlled ailerons for such positive control of the device as may be found necessary.- Vertical rudders 15 are disposed above and below the rear part of the fuselage, and the control of these and the rudder 1 is shown formally at 16. adjacentan avlutofis seat 17. The craft sup rtcd by the wheeled landing devices 18 which may be of any customary construction.

As shown, the rudder i3 is pivoted to a suitably braced horizontal shaft 19 carried at the r ar end of the fuselage and is provided with the spar 2Z0 projecting vertically therefrom on its upper and lower sides on the medial hmgitudinal plane of the craft, and having connected to its respective ends the controlling cables 20 running to the; lever is. At the rear edge of the rudder there is pivoted tin frame :21, having the verti cal standard 2 centrally thereof and ad.- jacent its a The frame is covered with a suit web similar to that customarily oyed on ailerons and is so arranged as to form as nearly as possible a continuation of the surfaces of the rudder. The rudder itself is of the parabolic curve type. Mounted centrally of its upper side there is a suitable light frame SllPpOltlIlg a lever of the first order having secured to one end a weight :26. The lever is mount-- ed for longitudinal oscillation, so that the weight may maintain it in vertical position during any movement of the rudder on its pivot or because of longitudinal inclination. of the whole craft. Crossed stays or links 27 are each connected at one end to respec tive ends of the spar 22 on the tip and at their opposite ends are connected to the lever 25 on opposite sides of its pivot. Thus on inclination of the rudder downwardly, the tip portion -Will move out of its normal position in the medial major plane of the rudder, and upwardly, forming a lesser an gle of incidence with engaging air than the rudder itself. While this tends to neutralize the effect of the rudder, it does not prevent proper control of the machine, because of the greater size of the rudder. It should be noted that the points at which thelinks 27 are connected to the spar are closer together than the points of connection to the lever, so that a greater movement is imparted to the tips than'that of the lever when communicating it.

At the ends of the plane 10 there are pivoted tip sections 28, adapted for move ment on an axis 28, the forward-part of which is nearer the longitudinal axis craft than the rear part, the tips being of any de' sired form. The tips carry concentric with their axes of oscillation small wheels 29 around which is extended the endless cable element 29 properly secured thereto holdconditions.

ing the two tips in a common relation to the horizontal, and serving to produce a balance of the air pressures acting thereon. Each tip is provided with an inwardly extending arm 30 carrying at its inner end a lever 34: of the first order having at one end a weight 30, and connected above and below its pivot by crossed stays or links 31 to a spar 32 extending above and below the pivot of the tip and carried rigidly by'the plane 10. The length of the arm 30 and the specific gravity of the weight are proportioned to exactly balance the weight of the tip.

.Itwill be seen that when the craiit isinclined laterally for any reason, the weights will move the levers 34 which through the links 31 will exert force on the tips to in. cline them in an opposite direction, which will result in maintainin them nearly in horizontal position. As s iown the tips are of the same fore and aft contour as the plane 10, which built on the principle of the parabolic curve, and it will be apparent that when laterally inclined, the tendenc of the craft to slip sidewise will be resiste by the tips which are in such position as to exert their lifting force, tending to support the craft efiiciently and also prevent side slip.

In addition, by reason of the diagonal direction of the axis of the tips, the one at the lower side of the craft will exert a greater lift because by the tilting of the machine its rear end depressed or lowered;

| or supported in a lower position relatively i to the front end than when in normal condition, while the uppermost tip for the same reason has its rear end disposed higher in through the axes relation to its front end than under normal Thus the machine while being held against side slip is also returned automatically to horizontal position.

The construction of the device may be varied from that illustrated to accord with the'best working practice in the art, but it will be seen that a very simple construction is involved in the embodiment of the invention, which allows it to be incorporated at a low cost and because of the simplicity of the parts it is liable in a minimum degree to be come deranged.

What is claimed is:

1. In a craft of the class described, the

combination with a movable surface device for afiecting the poise of an aerocraft, of a support element carried in a fixed relation thereto, a weighted lever of the first order pivoted thereon, a fixed element on the craft, and crossed connections between the lever and the fixed element for the purpose described.

'2. In a craft of the class described the combination with a pivoted plane element of a weighted lever ot' the first order carried thereby for oscillation transversely of the axis of the plane element, anchorage means above and below the pivotal axis of the plane in normal position and fixed with respect to the body of the craft and a connection between each arm of the lever and the opposite anchorage means.

L 3. In a craft of the class described the combination with a dpivoted plane element of a pendule pivote thereon, and connections between the pendule and a fixed ele chorage means fixed upon the craft and spaced from the pendule in the direction of the axis of the plane element, and connections between the pendule and the anchorage means on opposite sides of a plane passing of the plane and pendule. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL STEPHEN DICKENS. Witnesses \Vimro'r B. DICKENS, D. G. HnmYnnD. 

